Having excess belly fat in middle-age may increase the risk for dementia later in life, according to results of a new study published this week in the Annals of Neurology. In an analysis of 733 middle-aged men and women, researchers at the Boston University School of Medicine found that not only was higher body mass index (BMI) associated with reduced total brain volume — which previous research has linked to dementia risk — but that the correlation was even more pronounced among individuals with belly fat, or high concentrations of fat around their organs.
